The Voice Within
by RchHghr
Summary: One-shot. Sometimes a boy just needs to know that his father is there.


Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

One-shot. Sometimes a boy just needs to know that his father is there.

I hope you enjoy.

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Gohan knew he should be doing his homework. With so much to do he knew he needed to concentrate and get it done, but he found his attention to waver greatly. Most of the work came easily to him, but to just put the pen to paper he just couldn't.

He set the pen down and looked back at his little brother asleep in bed. He looked very peaceful. He slept on his back with his arms thrown out opposites sides of his head. He slept without a care. That's what he was, carefree. Hand to Gohan, he was lucky like that. It wasn't that he envied his brother or anything. Just, sometimes he didn't wish he knew or done everything he knew or did.

Not that he would trade his adventures for anything. He loved the adventures he went on, and all the people who he went on adventures with. Some have come such a long way; for the better. Some he kept closer than others, but he knew if something arose, he could count on them to aid him in getting the task done.

The parts, which he could stand to lose, were the tough times. Sometimes, he blamed himself for what happened at the Cell Games, even though he knew time and time again that he did everything he could, and that yes, his dad was proud of him and gave him the courage to be the fighter he was today.

But on quiet nights when the house was quiet he found himself just missing his dad. He didn't have his dad anymore since Cell was gone. He had his mother, and she was great. She protected them and trained Goten how to fight when he was in school. She made sure they were fed and had a shelter over their heads that was sturdy enough for two very strong, half Sayains. They were stronger than they sometimes realized.

She was strong and everything he could ask for in a mother, but she was his mother. It was times like these where he needed a father; his father.

He knew his mother needed her husband. He knew she missed him every time he was not there. And now, he wouldn't be there. He left her with two sons and done just that; left her.

Gohan was there when they summoned the dragon. He was only able to come back once. But nothing ever stopped his dad. Nothing! When he wanted something he worked towards that one goal and never gave up. So why didn't he this time? Why couldn't he just come back? Nothing was his fault. The evils that were attracted to the earth were attached to the earth and not him.

"Damn it!" Gohan slammed his fists on his desk and all that was on its surface did a little jump. The cup of pens and pencils that were in a cup now laid on their side across a homework sheet that was halfway done.

Goten stirred. "Gohan is something wrong?" he questioned tiredly rubbing his eyes. He turned on his side so he was now facing Gohan's back. He moved out of his blankets. One leg hung off the bed.

Gohan shook his head. "Sorry Goten. I thought there was a spider on my history book," he lied.

"There are three in a milk jug on the side of the house. They are real big ones. I found them dangling from a tree. I feed them flies and roly-poly's" he said excitedly. He sprang up excitedly. "You want to go see them? Mom won't let me keep them in the house."

"Tomorrow, champ. Right now you need to go back to sleep."

"Are you going to go to sleep?" he questioned hopefully.

"When I finish this homework." He looked back at the papers, but he did not want to do them. If anything they made him angrier. He blamed them for making his mind wonder.

"You know how you oversleep when you don't go to bed early," his little brother warned, and for that Gohan could smile.

"You better get back to sleep. You have the tough job, you have to help mom even before I wake up."

"Yeah, mom gets up early. She's a cleaning machine. And she also cooks such delicious food."

"She sure does," Gohan agreed. "I'm going to get some milk, you get back to sleep."

"Okay." He said brightly.

Gohan got up from his chair and went over to his brother. He tucked him in. "Make sure you have happy dreams."

"Trunks told me he had a dream about a girl." Goten said embarrassed.

"Oh yeah, and what did Trunks tell you." Gohan mused. Sometimes his little brother's best friend knew a little more than he should at such a young age.

"He said he beat her up because she was talking too much. Not all girls talk too much. Videl doesn't talk too much. She's nice, although she is bossy."

Gohan rolled his eyes. "She sure can be, but she's smart and strong."

Goten nodded in agreement. He liked Videl. Just like him she was learning to use her energy and find her potential.

"Now get back to sleep." He patted Goten on the head and turned off the light and went into the kitchen to drink milk. He looked around the quiet room where many signs still showed wear from his father when he, at times, could not control his strength. He broke more stuff than he could ever fix. His mother used to get so mad at him, and even him. They used to be the destruction of the house.

Goten would never know of that. He would never hear their mother yelling at them for breaking dishes, tables or chairs. He wouldn't see the understanding in her eyes, or the way she controlled the house since day one. He would never see the one his father feared most.

And it wasn't fair.

He drank the rest of the milk and put the bottle on the table quietly. He didn't want to wake up his mother like he did his brother. But he did peak in on her to make sure she was okay. She slept on "her" side of the bed. Instead of sleeping anywhere on the bed, or even just the middle, she slept on the left side. It left the big space on the right; a big space where he should've been sleeping. But he wasn't there, and she did nothing to cover it up. She left it there as if she was waiting for him to come back.

But he wasn't. So she'd just sleep alone.

The picture next to her bed was the three of them. Everyone was smiling and happy. He remembered it from years ago. The three of them went to the beach. He fell asleep and his dad flew both of them home. He remembered his father saying that it was moments like that he wished never end.

But they did. He quietly walked away from her room and went outside leaving the kitchen door open. He walked bare feet in the dewy grass and plopped right down. He rested his head on his hands behind his head. He stared up at the clear night. The moon was full and the stars twinkled brightly. It was beautiful. It was spectacular to see such a site when others could not. It made him feel strong, even when he didn't. He knew he had the strength to accomplish anything. He could take on the world.

And that was when he realized that was when he was closest to his dad. When the Heavens showed the beauty of the night he knew his dad was there. He couldn't see him, but he felt him. He knew his dad could hear him, and even see him. He could see that he was taking care of his mother and little brother.

"Dad, it's hard sometimes. I wish you were here. I get so mad when I see mom is sad, or that Goten will not have all the memories that I have with you. But I know you are inside of me; inside all of us. But sometimes I just wish you would come back and make everyone smile once more. You knew just what to say or do to make everyone happy. I know they miss you too, but not as much as I do. Maybe one day you can come back; even for just one day. You can see Goten and mom, and me. I would give anything to fight side by side with you. But I don't wish for evil. You've done enough fighting of evil."

He saw a star twinkle brighter than the others and knew that had to be him. It had to be because it twinkled like crazy and then shot across the sky. So he made that wish. "He wished that his father could come back to life, even for just one day."

"Gohan, are you sleeping outside?"

Gohan turned his head and saw Goten in the doorway. He was rolling up his pajama bottoms, and soon joined him in the grass copying his pose. He knew not to drag his pajama bottoms on the wet grass, but it would be a futile attempt because now his pants were completely damp.

"I was just talking to dad." And for the first time that night he could smile. He could be happy to talk and even think about his dad.

"You talk to dad a lot. Does he ever talk back? I've never heard him, but sometimes when I'm lying down in the grass like this I feel happier."

"That's dad."

"Cool. So why are you sleeping outside?" He pondered questionably.

"Just needed to talk to dad." He said.

"Will he help you with your homework? Or do you have to ask mom?"

Gohan chuckled. "You really want me to get that homework done, huh?"

"Uh huh. You have to go to school. You need to bring it with you, and not forget it like that one time. You had to stay at school pretty late and mom was worried."

"That's right." He sat up. "Let's get that homework done, and then we can both go to sleep."

"Okay." Goten flew to his feet. Gohan picked him up and put him on his shoulders. "Now we have to be quiet to not wake up mom."

"She's already up. What are you two doing outside?" Chichi questioned. Even in pajamas she was still intimidating.

"Gohan was talking to dad." Goten told her on Gohan's shoulders.

"Was he?" she smiled, but Gohan could see that there was some sympathy in that smile. She missed Goku more than he did. It was the hardest on her.

"Uh huh. He said that when I lie in the grass and feel happy, dad's there." Goten added.

"He sure is." She smiled. "Now time for bed, both of you. Gohan, you know how many times you've been late to school."

"I told him that too." Goten said smiling at his mother. "And he can't forget his homework like he did once."

"He better not!" Chichi warned. She leaned in and whispered, "Thank you for being so strong."

He nodded. He knew he didn't have a choice, but to make sure his family was happy. He would be strong. He would be the best son for his mother, and the best big brother for his little brother. Goten was going to grow up and follow in the footsteps of him and their father. Gohan just knew it; like he knew he would meet his father again.

Until then he'd know his father was somewhere doing what he did best. Be the best he could be, and make those around him want to be just like that as well.


End file.
